It is often desirable to ship bottles or other vessels, typically containing liquids. However, the typical shipping environment is replete with situations that can result in damage to the vessels and their contents. In the wine industry, for example, especially in the high end product lines or in gift packaging industries, it is common practice to ship wine typically in packs of one, two, three, four, six or twelve bottles, in a corrugated carton with some type of protection to prevent the bottles from becoming broken and spilling their contents during shipping.
Heretofore, in the shipping of wine, expanded polystyrene packaging material has been used as a shipping protector wherein different configurations are employed to provide top, middle and bottom layers for maintaining the bottles in spaced relation to one another. The bottles are typically provided in groups of two, three, or four bottles per horizontal layer. For example, a standard three bottle configuration has a bottom protecting expanded polystyrene part xe2x80x9cAxe2x80x9d, three bottles positioned therein, a separating center expanded polystyrene protector xe2x80x9cBxe2x80x9d positioned on top of the bottles, sometimes in an interlocking relation with the xe2x80x9cAxe2x80x9d part, a second layer of bottles positioned on top of the xe2x80x9cBxe2x80x9d part and finally a third top portion (denoted xe2x80x9cCxe2x80x9d) which engages with the top portion of the xe2x80x9cBxe2x80x9d part as well as the top layer of bottles. While certainly providing a fine job of packing performance, such expanded polystyrene protectors have several drawbacks. First, because the various expanded polystyrene pieces fit together in only one configuration, the amount of storage space required for maintaining inventory of the various packing components is large. The parts do not nest together to provide a compact storage format and accordingly take up the same volume in storage prior to use as would be required for a fully configured carton with wine bottles therein. Thus, storage problems exist, especially for a wine retailer who does not desire to devote extensive space to storage, since each square foot of space devoted to storage reduces space available for inventory or product display. A further issue with respect to the expanded polystyrene type packaging materials that employ xe2x80x9cAxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cBxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cAxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cBxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cCxe2x80x9d configurations is inventory maintenance. It becomes difficult to control the inventory of xe2x80x9cAxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cBxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cCxe2x80x9d components since not every shipment will use all three portions. A shipment of one layer of bottles, for example, will likely use an xe2x80x9cAxe2x80x9d and a xe2x80x9cCxe2x80x9d part, while a shipment of two layers of bottles uses an xe2x80x9cAxe2x80x9d, one xe2x80x9cBxe2x80x9d and one xe2x80x9cCxe2x80x9d part. A shipment of three or four bottle layers would use one xe2x80x9cAxe2x80x9d, two or three xe2x80x9cBxe2x80x9d and one xe2x80x9cCxe2x80x9d part. Accordingly, it becomes difficult to predict how many of each item should be kept in inventory.
Other wine bottle package inserts employ an A/B configuration wherein the two parts form a clam-shell type package such that each layer of bottles requires an A and a B part to completely surround the bottles. Such protectors, whether made of expanded polystyrene or of molded pulp fiber, typically employ a bottle engaging geometry configuration on one face thereof and support surfaces on the opposite side such that in order to properly pack and protect a row of wine bottles, two such protectors are positioned around the bottles with the bottle engaging geometries of the two protector pieces face-to-face and the support foot side of each protector piece facing outwardly with respect to the bottles. Accordingly, in order to pack two layers of bottles in a shipping carton, four bottle protector inserts are required. To pack four bottle layers in a carton, eight such protector inserts are required. Minimizing shipping weight is an issue in packing, so the need for two shipping protectors per layer can undesirably increase the shipping cost as the number of bottles per shipping carton increases.
With the various xe2x80x9cAxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cBxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cAxe2x80x9d/xe2x80x9cBxe2x80x9d/xe2x80x9cCxe2x80x9d configuration packs, it becomes critical during loading of the shipping carton that the particular A and B parts (and/or C parts) be oriented correctly both with respect to top to bottom and left to right orientation within the package in order to ensure that the bottles and packing fit perfectly within the carton. This can slow down throughput in high volume shipping operations, since the packer must carefully orient the packaging insert to ensure that it is of the correct orientation prior to beginning the packing process.
A further disadvantage to standard expanded polystyrene type protectors is that they are less environmentally friendly than protectors of molded fiber, which are typically made from recycled paper and themselves can be recycled into reclaimed waste paper stock. The expanded polystyrene type protectors are difficult to recycle and do not easily biodegrade. Therefore, the trend is toward use of recycled and recyclable materials for protectors. One such material is molded fiber, especially molded paper pulp. However, while it is possible to devise an expanded polystyrene protector with two functional sides, allowing an xe2x80x9cAxe2x80x9d only configuration and reducing inventory problems, it becomes difficult to provide protectors with two functional sides thereto when employing molded pulp, since unlike with expanded polystyrene, which allows shapes on one side of an item to be formed without interfering with the second side (given a protector of sufficient thickness), the nature of molded pulp items results in the three-dimensional structures of one side of an item having a non-negligible three-dimensional effect on the reverse side of the item. For example, a valley on one side of a molded fiber article forms a corresponding hill on the other side of the article. Accordingly, it has heretofore been impractical to employ molded fiber protectors for bottles or the like with two functional sides thereto.
In accordance with the prior art, rib portions of shipping protectors have heretofore been formed as a rib feature extending from a boundary plane of the protector. For example, a rib or other feature extends from the top plane or web of the protector, downwardly to a position defining the rib bottom and back upwardly to the top plane of the protector. Each such rib feature has heretofore been isolated from other adjacent rib structures, by the web of the protector.
Another concern with prior art protectors is that when a number of the empty protectors are stacked in a nested configuration for shipping or storage, the protectors tend to become rather tightly engaged with each other, making their separation difficult. This is especially true if the stack is dropped or otherwise subject to vibration or impact during shipping, for example. The tight engagement and the attendant degree of difficulty in separating the individual protectors can slow down the packing of articles by the ultimate end user, as a worker must take a relatively great deal of time to separate the individual protectors from each other prior to use.
In the wine industry, there are four bottle types which are predominantly used in 750 ml volume configurations, Riesling/hock style bottles, Chardonnay/Burgundy style bottles, champagne punt bottles and Bordeaux style bottles. The Riesling/hock bottle has a more elongated neck and provides a relatively smooth transition from the body of the bottle through the neck. The Chardonnay/Burgundy bottle is of a slightly quicker transition between the body of the bottle and the neck portion so as to have a less elongate appearance than the Riesling/hock bottle. Also, the Riesling/hock bottle is typically somewhat taller than the Chardonnay/Burgundy style bottle. The Bordeaux bottle is substantially the same height as a Chardonnay/Burgundy bottle but rather than employing a relatively concave transition from the body of the bottle through the neck, it has a convex transition portion into a substantially cylindrical shaped neck. The Champagne bottle is a low shoulder profile (fat) bottle. In accordance with wine bottle shipping packs of the prior art, one or more of the four major bottle shapes may not fit in the packing in firm engagement, allowing the bottle to shift back and forth excessively during movement of the carton which may result from the carton being picked up and set down or because of vehicle movement during transportation, which can increase the likelihood of damaging the bottle, or the label. Some wine labels are made from uncoated label stock and are easily subject to scuffing.
While the above mentioned bottle sizes have heretofore been predominantly used, as competition in the wine industry increases, wine makers are more frequently employing more uniquely shaped bottles to package their product. More unique bottle shapes help to distinguish the particular brand of wine at the retail sales point, and help the wine to stand out and increase its likelihood of catching the eye of the consumer. These non-standard size bottles do not always fit well into prior art bottle shipping protectors.
Wineries and wine retailers also may want to send one or two bottles to a customer, for example a member of a wine club or a restaurant, or to a wine reviewer or critic (in the case of a new wine vintage for example).
The International Safe Transit Association (ISTA) has defined a series of test procedures for determining performance of shipping protection systems, known as ISTA Project 1A. The ISTA preshipment test procedures provide a means for a manufacturer to predetermine the probability of the safe arrival of his packaged products at their destination through the utilization of tests developed to simulate the shocks and stresses normally encountered during handling and transportation. Project 1A is intended for packages weighing less than 100 pounds (45.36 kgs). The test procedures are subdivided into two portions, the vibration test and the drop test. For the vibration test, the packaged product is placed on the vibration tester in the position in which the product is normally shipped. The vibration frequency is set at the minimum speed sufficient to cause the packaged product to leave the table momentarily such that a metal shim, {fraction (1/16)}th of an inch thick and approximately 2 inches wide, may be inserted at least 4 inches between the bottom of the packaged product and the vibration table surface. The packaged product is then vibrated for a total of 14,200 vibratory impacts. After one-half of the vibration has been accomplished, the package is rotated horizontally 90xc2x0. For the drop test portion of the procedures, packages up to 20.99 pounds are dropped free fall from 30 inches, while packages through 40.99 pounds are dropped 24 inches. A series of ten drops then takes place, beginning with a drop on a corner formed by the right side, bottom and near end of the package. The remaining nine drops are as follows:
(2) the shortest edge radiating from that corner.
(3) the next longest edge radiating from that corner.
(4) the longest edge radiating from that corner.
(5) flat on one of the smallest faces.
(6) flat on the opposite small face.
(7) flat on one of the medium faces.
(8) flat on the opposite medium face.
(9) flat on one of the largest faces.
(10) flat on the opposite large face.
After the tests have been performed, the packaged product shall be considered to have satisfactorily passed the test if upon examination, the product is free from damage and the container still affords a reasonable protection to the contents.
Molded fiber wine bottle protectors in accordance with the prior art do not provide the survivability to pass these rigorous testing standards, increasing the likelihood that a wine shipment could arrive at its destination with one or more bottles damaged, for example, bottles broken, labels or capsules scuffed or corks pushed, causing leakage. In addition, actual field trial testing is required to ensure that the product will be successfully protected as it moves through the transportation environment.
According to an embodiment of the invention, a bottle shipping protector comprises a tray-like apparatus with a top xe2x80x9cscreenedxe2x80x9d face and a bottom xe2x80x9ctexturedxe2x80x9d face. Both faces are provided with functional shapes to operate in stacking engagement with bottles to provide impact protection while maintaining separation of the bottles (in multi-bottle configurations). A series of bottle receiving cradles are provided to engagingly receive multiple bottle shapes therein, with a bottle bottom stop member, a bottle top stop member and crush zones thereabout to progressively fail under impact for absorbing the shock of such impact and thereby protect the bottles against breakage. An adjustment member is provided which enables alteration of the length of the bottle receiving portion of the tray, to allow the protector to accommodate a greater variety of bottle sizes.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved protector for absorbing shock for protecting a fragile shipped article.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved bottle shipping protector that employs a two-sided functional arrangement.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved wine bottle shipping tray that requires minimal storage space when not in use.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an improved shipping tray for bottles that passes UPS, Federal Express and ISTA Project 1A testing requirements.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved bottle shipping pack that accepts at least the four different standard 750 ml wine bottle shapes as well as most others.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved two-sided bottle shipping tray that minimizes the required number of trays per package.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved bottle shipping tray that works for top, middle and bottom layer applications in multi-layer packages.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved bottle shipping tray that is recyclable and/or is made from recycled material.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an improved wine bottle shipping tray that nests with other such trays for compact storage.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide an improved bottle shipping tray that keys off of features of a bottle for stacking layers of bottles and trays.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an improved shipping protector that contours and flexes with impact to reduce shock to well below the damage boundary/fragility level of a given product.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved shipping protector that provides protection not just on the first impact, but blow after blow.
It is another object of the present invention to provide improved shipping protectors that enable two or three item shipments in the same size carton.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an improved shipping protector that enables shipping of bottles in one bottle, two bottle, three bottle or multiples of one, two or three bottle configurations with a single style protector.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved shipping protector that is adaptable for multiple bottle configurations.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved shipping protector that employs depressable cushioning stops which can be moved so as to be out of the way of longer bottles.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved bottle shipping protector that is adaptable to receive short or long bottles therein.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved shipping protector that has variable length stop members.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved shipping protector that employs removable stop members that may be left in place for articles of one size and which may be removed or pressed out of the way to accommodate articles of greater length.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved shipping protector that can be shipped or stored in a nested configuration yet is easily de-nested.
The subject matter of the present invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of this specification. However, both the organization and method of operation, together with further advantages and objects thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like elements.